Do you have a story to tell? Directing a movie/play/short film offers the chance to tell your story the way you imagine it. Directing movies is exciting and artistically fulfilling but it can be a tiring. Directors are responsible for turning the script or story into a sequence of shots. They also guide the actors and crew on-board who help turn their creative vision into a final tangible product. Because of the amount of influence a director exerts over the final product, having a good director is extremely important for the success of a film.

If you wish to be a director, then these are the top 10 things you need to bear in mind.

1. Cultivate a personal interest in films: This is the first thing you must do, if you wish to be a director. Develop a personal interest in the workings of this industry. Watch new arrivals, movie trailers and study the trend.

2. Study people: You should inculcate the quality of studying people and observing them. Study the gestures and postures of the people around. How they react to the certain things and what they think about it. Based on the instances you see around you, you can try to glean storylines out of them.

3. Mute and watch: Switch on a movie channel and mute the volume. See the visuals and study the directions and camera angles used in the film; comprehend the way a film is shot.

4. Pen your thoughts down or Act: Be it a simple story or a poem, you must write it down. Think about how the scene and the dialogues complement each other and how they should be shot. You can even act or perform a small skit with the help of your friends and shoot it with your mobile. This may sound weird, but it prove helpful.

5. See old movies: Lot of modern movies make use of computer graphics and camera tricks. If you want to study real direction, then you must watch old movies. In these movies, storyline and direction were the main components of the film and not the graphics. This will be a great learning experience for you.

6. Read books: Believe it, to be director it’s very essential to read books that talk about direction. Here are some books which we recommend that will prove helpful:  Directing Features Films by Mark Travis, Five C’s of cinematography, Shot by Shot, Film Directing Fundamentals, Making Movies by Sidney Lumet.

7. Visit movie sets: If you really want to be a director you must try and make it a point to visit movie sets. Seeing it all happen live will help you understand what goes into making a film. This will surely be a great learning experience.

8. Enrol in a training program for directors: Sign up for training programmes or courses in college that will help you study the theoretical part of directing.

9. Think small at first: Start small and be dedicated to your work. Don’t think you will get a break directly with a big production company. Work your way up the ladder and make the journey a fun learning experience.

10. Be on time and be prepared: Inculcate the quality of punctuality in you. Be ready to work long hours. Spot boys and director are the first ones to arrive on the location and last ones to leave. So be prepared to display such intense dedication to your job.